While we can all agree I am "overly involved" with my dogs every move...

The past three days he has been breathing weird. Sort of like he has been running and he is panting, short pants that are louder than normal. His breathing is faster, even when he is resting. I put my ear to his side and his heart seems to have the "right beat" compared to the other dogs. I don't think the dog den is too hot, because the heat is way down in the house, and he has the ceramic floor if he wants to cool off. But his nose and ears have been very warm.

Sometimes Darlene will be in the kitchen and hear him, and go investigate what he is doing. And he is just breathing louder.

He runs, barks and plays normally outside.

I will bring him in Monday to the Vet, but this is worrying me, since he is going to be 12 in July.

I just looked at his "Certificate of Pedigree"...I got a photocopy from his previous SOB owner. At the bottom, someone signed it on 3/12/98, and it states it was researched from the AKC Stud Book Registry.

It says at the top: Name: Keris Candy Man, BREED: Retriever (Golden), Breeder: JM Swantz. The WHELPED DATE is: December 13, 1996. That would mean he is 14????

Well, honestly, I don't care WHO the hell he is, because I know he is mine. Papers, no papers, 11 years old or 14.

But, geez....wouldn't it had been nice for the SOB original owner to have told the truth on SOMETHING in his freaking life?

His panting is still weird. It seems the "out breath" is the harder one. And he coughed two times this morning. Like he had something in his throat and was clearing it. They all have had bordetella vaccines and Lenny doesn't go anywhere other than the summer trip to the kennel.

I am going tomorrow to Vet unless he seems to be in "more" distress today, then I will take him to the E-Vet. That is why I got his papers together. In case he had to go in today, and they don't know him. Then I saw the whelping date.

iluvk9 wrote:I am going tomorrow to Vet unless he seems to be in "more" distress today, then I will take him to the E-Vet. That is why I got his papers together. In case he had to go in today, and they don't know him. Then I saw the whelping date.

His gums look nice and pink/red as usual.

Sometimes dogs pant because they are painful. We had a crazy client who wanted to euth her dog because he was panting all the time, he was an older GSD with bad arthritis but his panting messed up her sleep schedule

Since he is getting up there maybe it's time to just re-evaluate him and make sure things are okay. It could be pain, it could be nerves, it could be a lot of different things but I don't think you're being overly cautious in having him seen because if it were to be something serious at least you're catching it right away.

I got a video of him breathing . You can see his sides go up and down and hear him breath. Turn your speakers up. The clicking is from me zooming in and out. I just cleaned his ears, so they are a little wet. He also has his new Labrador hair cut.

I agree with the panting due to pain...a lot of other and arthritic dogs will do that. I would also want to have his heart and lungs checked just to make sure there's nothing else going on. *hugs* and here's to hoping it's nothing!

~Jeanine

You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

He's a Golden so I'd take a trip to the vet asap. Not trying to worry you but you know Lenny best and if you are worried, then there's a good reason. Goldens have a propensity to some not so good things especially later in life. I'm hoping it's just because he's painful for some simple reason but I have to say that I would not wait to get him checked out even if it means you run to the ER.

Hey Joyce Sorry about Lenny! I agree with other's thoughts - take him in now/today. The older they get, the more we should listen to our neurotic voices of worry Good thoughts for Lenny-Bo-Benny.

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
_______________________________________
"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

I hate to be a downer, but this video reminds me of my husky Quinn during the last few weeks of his life. In addition to lymphoma, he was in heart failure - that was the cause of his rough breathing and panting. I don't know how big Lenny is, but to me his belly looks like it may be retaining fluid; another sign of heart failure. I'd definitely get him to the vet. There are some meds for dogs with congestive heart failure that can help prolong their life. Hoping for better news than that for you and Lenny!

What does his color look like? Will he let you look at his gums? I agree he looks maybe a little bloated... my concern wouldn't be a heart issue though, my concern would be potentially a spleen problem. If his color is nice and pink I'd say he can wait until tomorrow, and if he's acting alright, eating, drinking, moving around. He doesn't seem to be 'labored' in terms of being in a crisis, but he is definitely pushing harder than he should be.

At e-vet for hours. Tomorrow I am bringing him to my Vet and at that point I will decide what his quality of life is. But it doesn't look promising.

xrays: Enlarged heart, enlarged spleen with very large mass on it, severe arthritis in spine, one lung is very small and not working, other lung is filled with liquid.

blood work: high WBC. That is all I remember. Had urine sample...don't remember results either.

She wanted to keep him overnite and do chest taps to remove liquid as it built up. That wasn't happening. He is home with me. I had her remove liquid from his lung. She got 200 ml out. He got lasix to help with next build up.

She suggested some echo something, sonograms, and other stuff. I will see what Dr. Adams says in the morning. I don't think there is going to be any good news tomorrow.

I will be thinking of you all. Feel free to pm if you have any questions you think I may be able to answer.

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
_______________________________________
"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07